(Newser)
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Comic books are gaining Hollywood cachet and, apparently, global appeal. For the first time, India will host a comics convention similar to the huge San Diego Comic-Con, the Telegraph reports. “Comics is big business in India right now and we felt this was the perfect moment to host our own Comic Con,” says an organizer of the event, scheduled for Feb. 19 and 20 in New Delhi.

In addition to an outlet for fans to get their fix, one goal is for Indian artists and writers to get access to publishers and distributors. Marvel, DC, and local publishers will be in attendance, as well as graphic novel publishers including Penguin, Harper Collins, and Random House. Book launches, workshops, panel discussions, and awards are planned. One graphic novelist hopes comics will eventually be used “as a medium to provide a complex understanding of a country like India."